RADIO CONTROL: PYLON RACING
Duane Gall, 1267 S. Beeler St., Denver CO 80231
Introduction
Allow me to introduce myself: I'm Duane Gall, age 41, a lawyer by trade. I live in Denver (originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan). I was married and divorced once; my four‑year‑old daughter helps carve propellers. I flew with Bill Hager in Ohio when the beginner event was Quarter Midget — the original Quarter Midget, with Super Tigre .15s. Some years later a fellow in California, Glen Spickler, investigated larger, simpler airplanes and proposed a new class called Quickie 500. That gives you an idea how long I've been at this silly game.
I call it a "silly game" without apology. My list of "silly games" also includes baseball, football, basketball, hockey, figure skating, stock‑car racing, and golf — in short, everything we do between birth and the grave just for the heck of it.
We sometimes get pretty serious about model airplane racing — to the point of calling each other names over rules and such. I don't believe that's right. We will disagree, often vigorously, because we care deeply about the game; but in the end it's just a game and not worth losing a friend. We're a small community and we need each other for support.
As a columnist and a lawyer I will separate opinion from fact and clearly label them. Part of this column's function is to air differing opinions during controversies and to keep you informed about national rule developments. I'll try to present competing positions fairly and include material beyond politics so newcomers and less‑involved AMA members find the column rewarding.
Why RC Pylon should matter
Pick up a magazine at random and see what gets ink: jet turbines, giant scale, aerobatic helicopters. What does Pylon lack besides prestige? The average racing airplane costs less than the car you carry it in, and the results of a heat of racing are usually objective. By rights, RC Pylon should be a prestige event: clubs should want to host races, and beginners should aspire to fly Pylon models.
The main reason this isn't happening is our own fault: the hard‑core racing community (myself included) hasn't done enough to present racing as user‑friendly, club‑friendly, reasonably safe, and reasonably quiet. Some club members will always think racing airplanes are "scary fast" and racing pilots are louts; we can't change everyone. But we can — and should — do more in public relations. That's my opinion.
If you agree or disagree, I welcome discussion.
What is "RC Pylon"?
In this column "RC Pylon" refers to the three RC racing events flown at the AMA Nats and recognized in the AMA rule book, plus a few related categories:
- Formula I (F1) — AMA event 421. Stand‑off scale models of full‑scale racers.
- Quarter 40 (Quarter Midget or Q‑40) — AMA event 422. Stand‑off scale models using a .40 class engine.
- Quickie 500 (Q‑500, Fast Quickie, AMA Quickie) — AMA event 428. Nonscale, boxy models with rectangular wings; commonly built from balsa‑and‑foam kits (e.g., Flyline Models' Scat Cat).
Common rules for these AMA events require roughly .40‑class engines, and heats are typically 10 laps to the left with three or four airplanes at a time around a three‑pylon course, pilots standing in the infield.
There is also:
- FAI F3D — an international semiscale event that uses alcohol fuel (no nitro).
- Slow Quickie (generic local formulas) — the 428 airframe powered by off‑the‑shelf sport engines under local rules intended to help novices.
Current rule issues
The major rule debates currently include:
- Enforcement of the semiscale requirement in Q‑40.
- Whether and how to slow down any of the AMA racing events.
- Whether to increase the Quickie (Q‑500) minimum weight to avoid folded wings and fluttering tails.
- Specific proposals from the recent cycle: increasing Q‑500 minimum weight from 3.5 to 3.75 pounds, and reducing the Q‑40 minimum venturi size from 9 mm to 7 mm. (At the time of writing these were still pending.)
Any one of these topics could fill a column.
The rule‑revision process
Because many Pylon fans are unclear about how rule changes happen, here is a concise overview:
- AMA now operates on a three‑year rule cycle (previously two years). Pending proposals voted on in March 1998, for example, would take effect January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2001.
- It usually takes at least two votes for a proposal to become official: an initial vote (to select proposals to go forward) and a final vote.
- If there are multiple choices on the same subject (for example, several alternative venturi sizes), they are grouped on the initial ballot. If one alternative survives the initial vote, it advances to the final ballot — but surviving the initial vote does not necessarily mean a majority of the Board supports it; it may simply be the least objectionable choice among those presented.
- Emergency Proposals can be submitted at any time and are ostensibly limited to safety‑related issues. Since the three‑year cycle was adopted, reliance on Emergency Proposals has increased, leaving less time for discussion and contributing to rumor and uncertainty.
How to stay informed and get involved
- Join the National Miniature Pylon Racing Association (NMPRA). For roughly the cost of a dozen glow plugs, this AMA‑recognized Special Interest Group will keep you posted on regional and national developments. The NMPRA website (www.nmpra.org) contains an updated version of the rules and other resources; their newsletter has shorter lead times than magazines.
- Talk to your RC Racing Contest Board member for your AMA district. I'm a District IX member, but there are ten other district representatives — depending on where you live you should talk to your own district rep about pending proposals.
- Be aware of the difference between suggestions, circulated proposals, initial‑vote results, and final‑vote outcomes. Publication delays and last‑minute changes in schedules can make magazine reports lag real‑time developments.
Emergency proposals — watch out
Emergency Proposals can generate most of the rumor and controversy. They can be brought up between regular cycles and may affect racing significantly. Because they bypass the full cycle of review and debate, they often create Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) in the community. That said, we shouldn't overreact — emergency rules are intended to address genuine safety issues when needed.
Closing observations
- A bad day of racing is better than a good day of just about anything else — no matter which particular rules happen to be in effect.
- Racers argue. They're like that.
- When the green flag drops, the fun begins!
Miscellaneous / Call for votes
This column was one of several "sample" columns submitted by candidates to replace Bill Hager as the regular "RC Pylon Racing" columnist. Who did the best job? Write to the Model Aviation Editorial Office or call (765) 378‑6879 with your pick.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
